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International Grassland Congress Proceedings XXII International Grassland Congress

Barriers and Opportunities for the Use of Forage Tree Legumes in Smallholder Cattle Fattening Systems in Eastern

Debora Kana Hau Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology, Indonesia

Tanda Panjaitan Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology, Indonesia

Jacob Nulik Assessment Institute for Agriculture Technology, Indonesia

H. Dahlanuddin University of , Indonesia

Elske van de Fliert The University of Queensland, Australia

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Part of the Plant Sciences Commons, and the Soil Science Commons This document is available at https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/22/3-6/11 The XXII International Grassland Congress (Revitalising Grasslands to Sustain Our Communities) took place in Sydney, Australia from September 15 through September 19, 2013. Proceedings Editors: David L. Michalk, Geoffrey D. Millar, Warwick B. Badgery, and Kim M. Broadfoot Publisher: New South Wales Department of Primary Industry, Kite St., Orange New South Wales, Australia

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Barriers and opportunities for the use of forage tree legumes in smallholder cattle fattening systems in Eastern Indonesia

Debora Kana Hau A, Tanda Panjaitan B, Jacob Nulik A, Dahlanuddin C and Elske van de Fliert D

A Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology – East Nusatenggara, Naibonat, , NTT, Indonesia B Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology – West Nusatenggara, Narmada, Barat, NTB, Indonesia C Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Mataram, Mataram, NTB, Indonesia D Centre for Communication and Social Change, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia Contact email: [email protected]

Keywords: Leucaena leucoephala, Sesbania grandiflora, situation analysis, outreach strategy.

Introduction

Forage tree legumes (FTL) have existed in the Eastern

Indonesian landscape since colonial traders introduced several species in the late 1800s. A specific effort was made to establish leucaena (Leucaena leucoephala) and sesbania (Sesbania grandiflora) for use as forage for cattle fattening at Amarasi in Province and Central Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, in the 1970s (Yuksel et al. 1999; Dahlanuddin et al. 2005). Its spread within these provinces as potential forage to intensify cattle fattening systems, however, has been slow if not stagnant. In preparation for intensified efforts to encourage farmers in East and West Nusa Tenggara to grow and use FTLs for cattle fattening, we asked the question why successful FTL Figure 1. Informal interview during transect walks feeding practices by some communities had not spread widely to adjacent areas within the provinces. A situation analysis study was conducted in 2011-12 in East and West Nusa Tenggara Provinces aimed at identifying the barriers and opportunities for FTL use in smallholder cattle fattening systems. This paper describes the methodology of this study, its main findings and the implications for follow-up expansion of FTL innovations. Methodology

The study sites were selected based on a set of criteria, including cattle populations, ownership and management systems, land ownership by farmers, current use or potential of FTLs, and suitability and accessibility of the villages for follow-up activities. The study looked both at Figure 2. Focus group discussion. locations where leucaena and sesbania were already being intensively used for cattle fattening but where farmer practices can be improved, and where FTL use is limited. A total of 34 hamlets in 12 sub-districts in six districts across the two provinces were visited by study teams for three days each, during which a range of data collection methods were conducted. These included a transect walk with participatory mapping, observations and informal interviews (Fig. 1), Focus Groups with male and female farmers (Fig. 2), and household interviews with 9-10 selected farmers per hamlet (Fig. 3). The study provided detailed profiles of each of the locations, and a general understanding of farmers’ current cattle management practices and their perceptions on the use of FTLs as cattle Figure 3. In-depth household interview

© 2013 Proceedings of the 22nd International Grassland Congress 1890 Hau et al. feed. While initial barriers and opportunities to the determined by the actual live weight but on an adoption of leucaena and sesbania innovations were estimation by the trader. The limited bargaining power identified and informed the design of an outreach strategy, of the farmers provides a negative incentive for continuing follow-up assessment is needed in order to achieving maximum live weight of the animals. Many understand how increased knowledge of and access to FTL farmers tend to sell their cattle under the optimum sales innovations influence farmers’ perceptions and practices. weight due to lack of capital. This situation is unfavourable to the adoption of good feeding practices. Results and Discussion Opportunities identified for the introduction and Barriers to adoption of forage tree legume innovations that intensified use of FTLs were identified included the following: • There is ample availability of land that can be allocated Leucaena systems (West , Sumba, ): to FTLs, especially in areas where forage production • Where large areas of communal grazing lands are systems are underdeveloped (Timor, Sumba and available, farmers do not see a need to allocate Sumbawa). Farmers have shown willingness to make resources and labour to tether or pen cattle and feed by use of available land to integrate FTLs into their cut-and-carry. Families that own cattle and have the cropping and cattle feeding systems. capacity to fatten tend to have a relatively large • A psyllid tolerant variety of leucaena (cv Taramba) is number of animals and prefer grazing over a cut-and- now available in Eastern Indonesia and seems to be carry system, for which they do not have sufficient thriving under local conditions. Some farmers manage labour. to produce and sell FTL seed, while others market FTL • In some areas, especially West Timor, farmers believe foliage as forage to other farmers and perceive this to it is safer to let cattle graze on communal land than to be a lucrative business. tether or pen them, as theft tends to happen in built-up • Areas where FTL plots were established have attracted areas. participation from Department of Livestock cattle • There is a perception that newly established forage distribution schemes for farmers. Local village plots will be damaged by free grazing animals if the governments expressed willingness to introduce village whole community does not participate in penning or regulations to limit free grazing of animals and hence tethering practices. provide more favourable conditions for FTL plots to establish. • Previously introduced varieties of leucaena are prone to psyllid infestation. Conclusions Sesbania systems (Lombok): To overcome barriers to the implementation of FTL innovations and capitalise on existing opportunities, an • Farmers do not have enough land to plant (more) effective outreach strategy would need to address sesbania trees. Where sesbania trees are planted on the perceptions, access and regulations. Perceptions can be paddy bunds, farmers feel they can’t increase their influenced by providing information and experiences to density as there are already many trees and other farmers that alter their attitudes and improve their fodder crops on the bunds. knowledge, skills and practices. This can be in the form of • Many farmers believe that the sesbania trees on the exchange visits, demonstration trials, informational media, bunds disrupt the development of the main crop in the practice-based training and dialogues. Access relates to paddy field by shading. In areas in Lombok with very agricultural inputs, such as high quality FTL seed, advisory narrow bunds, farmers fear (and have experienced) that and credit services, and land availability. Regulations may sesbania roots can damage the bunds or cause water be required in some locations to support collective action. leaking. Such an outreach strategy is comprehensive, long term, involves multiple stakeholders, and requires all elements to Both systems: be lined up to overcome the diverse set of barriers and utilise existing assets. • FTL trees are not always available in the area, or not in sufficient amounts for intensive feeding, while other Acknowledgements fodders such as grass are in abundance. The support of ACIAR is gratefully acknowledged. • Farmers lack knowledge and skills regarding tree establishment and have no access to FTL seed sources. References Farmers tend to have limited knowledge on the Dahlanuddin H, Shelton M (2005) Sesbania grandiflora: a feeding/nutritional requirements of cattle and how to successful tree legume in Lombok, Indonesia. Tropical match these with the nutritional value of different Grasslands 39, 217. forages. There are many misconceptions among Yuksel, Nalan, Ali Aoetpah, Imo (1999) The Amarasi model - An farmers about the nutritional value of FTLs, and their Example of indigenous natural resource management in Timor, Indonesia, Occasional Paper 1999/1, Indigenous side effects on cattle and feed preferences. Fallow Management Network, Bogor: ICRAF Southeast • In many cases, the price received for cattle sales is not Asian Regional Research Programme.

© 2013 Proceedings of the 22nd International Grassland Congress 1891